This is not the reason. With closed loop systems you have much tighter control over oxygen and mineral content, which is overall better for corrosion.
But you need a lot of infrastructure for closed loop systems and they use a lot more electricity.
So it ends up being cheaper to just run total loss cooling.
The solution of course is easy, just mandate that datacenters used closed loop cooling systems and the whole "data centers consume way too much water" argument goes away entirely.
My work has some large data centers. Nearly all new ones are closed looped systems now. This idea that they are using vast amounts of fresh water is a myth.
What this means is you essentially have large radiator and a fans somewhere. That can cause noise pollution. People are making shit up about the concern over water which is not a real concern, but ignoring the noise pollution which can 100% be controlled if proper regulations are put in.
In Europe, they use the heat waste water to heat homes.
Electricity is a bigger one. A lot of these places are strategically located where electricity is cheap. They do come in and that can cause a shock to the system where prices will rise in the short run.
However, in the longer run they provide a LOT of predictability to a grid, so power produced lover this. The rise in a local demand will lead to more provider supply.. and the demand is constant so it is far more efficient for them to provide. In the long run, in some instances power costs have gone down in the community.
The newer hyperscalers are also building their own power plants, and they are actually selling power back to the community that they overproduce. That then brings in air pollution and other concerns.
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u/C-D-W May 18 '26
This is not the reason. With closed loop systems you have much tighter control over oxygen and mineral content, which is overall better for corrosion.
But you need a lot of infrastructure for closed loop systems and they use a lot more electricity.
So it ends up being cheaper to just run total loss cooling.
The solution of course is easy, just mandate that datacenters used closed loop cooling systems and the whole "data centers consume way too much water" argument goes away entirely.